Kirk Cousins to the Browns has been a rumor that has repeatedly come up since he was benched a year ago in favor of Michael Penix Jr., despite his $180 million contract. If Atlanta was okay moving on and losing Cousins for next to nothing while eating most, if not all of the money, Cousins would likely be the Browns' QB1 as of now. However, they remain content keeping him as the backup unless a team is willing to part with assets in a trade, and the Browns had no interest in getting another banged-up quarterback on a massive deal.
When they signed Joe Flacco and drafted two quarterbacks, the Cousins to Cleveland rumors should have been completely shut down. Instead, they continue to pop up, as Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski named the Browns as a landing spot for the veteran after his comments about his discontent aired on Netflix's Quarterback show.
Browns named as Kirk Cousins landing spot despite crowded room
Sobleski believes Cousins gives the Browns their best chance of winning. He cited their lack of a concrete plan at the position in 2025 as the biggest reason they should look to reunite Cousins and Kevin Stefanski.
"If the Cleveland Browns are serious about winning this season, a Cousins acquisition remains on the table. Right now, the organization doesn't have a legitimate plan at the quarterback position."Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski
It's true that the best form of Cousins would be far and away the best option for the Browns at quarterback this year. He's already familiar with the offense, but the biggest concerns are with his health after numerous injuries last season. Even if the Browns got a version of Cousins that is an upgrade over Joe Flacco, it likely wouldn't be the difference in them being a contender or not.
As it appears right now, 2025 is set up to be an evaluation year with sights on 2026 to find the long-term quarterback. Getting the offense back to a stable place and figuring out what you have in rookies is critical for being competitive again in the near future. The one scenario where trading for Cousins could be entertained is if the Browns get off to a strong start in spite of average to below-average quarterback play. Then, it would make sense to get a trusted veteran instead of mid-round rookies to lead the charge.
In reality, Cousins isn't guaranteed to be a big enough upgrade over Flacco that would put the Browns into contention. It seems more logical to start with Flacco and move on to the rookies later in the year, barring a surprise strong start to the season.